A Shell Call Away
by Flslp87
Summary: A canon divergent story from 6x15 based on the fact that Emma was sitting on the steps with Killian's shell necklace. I'm hopeful Ariel has the extension.


_Watching the clip of Emma sitting on her front steps holding Killian's shell necklace from the preview for 6x15, I remembered reading or seeing a picture that Colin has filmed a scene with Jasmine, I believe, on a beach and was holding a seashell. I'm hopeful that he will be able to get word to her via a shell call. My wish is it goes something like this._

 **A Shell Call Away**

They say that you should never make big changes right after a major loss and after a few drinks with her mother and Regina, Emma had to agree. She had originally been upset when the call had ended up being a false alarm just to get her out of the house, but seeing a slightly tipsy Snow had been good for a few laughs and being away from the memories in the house had allowed her more rational side to return. Unsure what had caused the girl that she had been in the past to return the last few days, she was now determined to relocate the woman she had become. The woman who had turned Killian into a dark one against his will to keep from losing him. And the woman who hadn't accepted his death, following him to the underworld to bring him home. A woman willing to fight for that white picket fence life that was within her grasp.

Walking into the house, she flipped on the lights and noticed that not only had Henry forgotten to put his shoes away but he had also forgotten to take the sea chest out to the shed. Sitting on the sofa she pushed up the lid and lifted out the chain holding Liam's ring. Memories of Camelot and how when Killian had given it to her with a "calm down Swan, I'm not proposing," she had felt both relief and disappointment. Not only had the darkness had hold of her emotions but so had fear. But slowly his patience and love had helped her have confidence enough in herself to lower her walls until he had proposed and that had been the happiest day of her life.

But like so many other instances in her life, a single moment in time and a few words best left unspoken had reached inside of her awakening that little lost girl. The one who always dreamt of a home and a family but never thought she was good enough to deserve one. And when she had walked by and noticed Killian sitting in front of the fireplace with his memories, her insecurities had taken over her voice and accused him of not trusting her. Of not trusting that their love was strong enough that together they would be able to overcome anything. This time though, her accusations on top of his self- flagellation over the past had brought forth more pain then she knew how to handle.

Leaning back on the settee, with Liam's ring clutched tightly between her hands, she let the memories wash over her. The memories of the night she had been searching for answers in Killian's things - no - if she were really honest with herself, snooping for answers in Killian's things - and had discovered the engagement ring, she had been so excited that she may not have given Killian the opportunity to say everything he wanted to say. Remembering the look on his face when she had made the quip about him drinking Captain Morgan, and then his words, "I'm afraid it wouldn't give me the courage that I need." Had she misunderstood and he hadn't been going to propose right then, but had been going to tell her what happened? Feeling the tears well up in her eyes, she closed them and let the call of sleep carry her away.

cs~cs~cs

Emma opened her eyes to the sunlight streaming in through the window and to her son standing next to her holding a steaming cup of cocoa. "Mad at me?"

She pushed herself into a sitting position, took the cup and frowned at him, "Mad at you?" She managed to say before the smell pushed her to take a sip. "Why would I be mad?"

He didn't say anything but his glance at the sea chest told her exactly where his thoughts lay. Emma reached out caressing the lid, before pulling him down next to her, "No kid, I'm not mad. I'm sad, very, very sad."

Henry sat there staring at her for so long she felt as if he were able to read her mind. The look on his face far more mature than his years caused the tears that hadn't been far away to fall freely down her face. He put his arm around her and awkwardly patted her on her shoulder, "Mom, Killian loves you. Are you sure there's no explanation?"

Rubbing the back of her hand across her wet cheek, she took another sip of the chocolate, "Things will be fine honey. You'd better get ready for school." She followed his lean frame as he ran up the stairs, the telescope catching her peripheral vision. A thought flitted through her mind, not quite close enough for her to grasp yet, but just hanging there, waiting for something. Finishing her cocoa, she took her cup to the kitchen hoping that by the time Henry left the house she would have a firm hold on the thought.

cs~cs~cs

Once he was gone she walked back and sat down next to the chest. Looping the chain of Killian's ring around her neck she silently scolded herself for not pushing him to wear it for protection. One by one she took each item out of the chest; besides his ring, there was his flask, his spyglass, and then she stopped and looked up at the telescope that was directed toward the water. Holding her breath, her heart beating quickly in her chest, she stood up moving slowly toward the window.

Leaning over she placed one eye against the eyepiece and slowly focused on the water. Adjusting the telescope just slightly, she could see the one thing that Killian loved almost as much as he loved her, the Jolly Roger. Her eyes filled and a sob burst forth from her throat as she sank onto the hard floor and allowed the cathartic tears fall freely.

Once the tears had stopped, there was a new determination in her step as she knew that something unnatural had been the cause of Killian's disappearance. She spent the day retracing his steps and finding out that he had picked up coffee at Granny's and been seen walking along the docks. Because her mother reported that he had been on the Jolly, she stopped by there where she ran into Smee, who also hadn't heard from him. Feeling the panic riding just below the surface, she slowly walked back to her car, climbed in and leaned her forehead against the cold steering wheel.

She wasn't sure how long she had been sitting there before she heard knocking on the window and wiping the tears from her face rolled down the window, "Regina, everything ok?"

"You're sitting in a cold car, you tell me."

Emma took a deep breath and pushed open the door, "I was looking for Killian."

"Did you find any sign of the pirate?"

"No, and I'm all out of places to look."

Regina pulled her phone from her pocket and held it out toward her in one hand, waving her other hand over it, "I think you're forgetting something."

Emma frowned at her, "Whatever spell that is, I don't want it. I'm seriously not in the mood for magic right now."

"Who said anything about magic? You're the one who taught me about GPS." She smiled at the look on Emma's face.

Emma ran her hand through her hair, "I can't believe I didn't think of that." She quickly pulled up the app and logged into it waiting for it to lock in on their phones. It quickly found hers and Henry's but for Killian's it said 'looking' for a while before reporting 'last known location. Emma looked up at Regina, fear in her eyes, "He disappeared from the dock but the Jolly Roger is still there. Where could he be?"

You know the last time we couldn't find someone in this family, they were in another realm."

Emma's eyebrows went up, "Who could have," she started to say before it dawned on her. "Gideon? But why?" She asked quietly.

"That seems to be the question," Regina told her kindly as she turned to leave. "Be vigilant."

"I will." She hesitated a minute, "My parents?"

"Don't worry. I will check on them."

"Thanks, Regina." Emma climbed back into the car and drove home. The sea chest was exactly where she had left it and closing the lid, she carried it back upstairs and set it on the bed, opening it more time. Everything was exactly as she had left it but as she emptied it, she kept hoping that she would uncover a new secret. Moving aside an old piece of cloth she uncovered the shell necklace that he had told her about. Reverently, she removed it from the box, allowing the chain to dangle in front of her face. "Is it possible?" She asked the empty room? Not expecting an answer, she curled her fingers around the shell, turned off the light and walked outside to sit on the stairs.

She hadn't been sitting there very long when the shell came to life in her hand. She lifted it closer to her face, unsure exactly what to do, when her breath caught in her throat and tears sprang from her eyes.

"Swan?"

 _And as I was writing this all I could hear was Adele's song, hello... Let me know what you thought._


End file.
